It's been nine years since the original Fable launched for Xbox. A colorful, witty adventure game, it was synonymous with the lofty ambitions and grand vision of Lionhead and of its chief Peter Molyneux.
A year-and-a-half after leaving Lionhead behind — to set up Godus developer 22 Cans — Molyneux is still keeping an eye on the franchise that was such a large part of his life. During his tenure, two Fable sequels as well as an arcade and a Kinect spin-off were produced.
Lionhead is now working on Fable Legends for Xbox One, which was unveiled with a trailer at Gamescom earlier this year.
"I'm now more of a fan than a person involved in it," Molyneux said, in an interview with Joystiq. "I'd just be fascinated to see where they're taking it. They've announced the Legends route which I find intriguing."
While the original Fable trilogy moved forward in time, from a medieval to a quasi-industrial setting, the new game is set in a fairy-tale past, with a heavy focus on multiplayer and the option to choose to play as a villain.
"I'm a fan," said Molyneux. "I like the idea, it seems to be a playful idea, and I'll be fascinated to see how that evolves. Until they make a game and I can get my hands on it, then maybe I'll think to myself 'Oh God why did they do this and that?' But at the moment I'm intrigued and fascinated."
On its FAQ, Lionhead explains the relationship of the new game with its predecessor trilogy as "being made with the Fable spirit firmly in mind," adding that is it "not a continuation of the previous Fable games ... It's a brand new series of adventures."
Previously, Molyneux has offered opinions and expressed surprise about some of the creative directions of Fable Legends, stating that he was disappointed that the series' trademark companion dog appears to have been dropped.
Both Lionhead and 22 Cans are located in the English town of Guildford, just a few streets from one another, but Molyneux said that he doesn't have much contact these days. "I think they understandably want to find a voice for themselves," he said. "It's easier to do that if you just separate yourself."